Brad Penner-USA Today Sports
Bojan Bogdanovic had the Brooklyn Nets feeling robbed this summer when contract negotiations with the former 2011 first-round draft pick by the Miami Heat suddenly broke down and he decided to continue his playing career in Europe.
By the time next summer rolls around, Bogdanovic might just choose to dish out that same gut-wrenching feeling to Fenerbahce, the European league team he chose over the Nets.
Such speculation mounts as a result of Bogdanovic’s recent rejection of a contract extension offered by Fenerbahce. There’s no doubt that Brooklyn is holding out hope that the speculation evolves into fact after this upcoming season.
Andrei Kirilenko, who the Nets signed the same day news of Bogdanovic’s startling decision broke, should be more than serviceable in his projected role as sixth man, but Bogdanovic presents something different despite having a very similar skill set.
At age 32, this isn’t Kirilenko’s first time around the block. He has all the experience a veteran team could want right now. But Bogdanovic offers a longer, brighter future for the Nets, as he will turn only 25 next spring, already having multiple years of professional basketball on his résumé.
If Bogdanovic does decide that he wants to sign with the Nets next summer he isn’t likely to be their biggest cheerleader in the upcoming months. Not that he would want them to suffer, but a championship in June could potentially lessen the monetary value general manager Billy King and owner Mikhail Prokhorov would place upon him when it comes time to construct a deal.
Championship or not, there’no doubt that the Nets are hoping Bogdanovic telling Fenerbahce “no” right now means he’s prepared to finally tell the Nets “yes” next summer.
Mike B. Ruiz is a Brooklyn Nets writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @mikebruiz and “Like” him on Facebook.
